Georgia, a country sitting at the intersection of Europe and Asia, has ruled that smoking marijuana in the country is legal. The sale and cultivation will remain illegal. A Georgian court said the “permission to consume marijuana is an act of protection of the person’s right to free development.”

One of the main reasons for the ruling is that consuming marijuana does not put any third parties at risk, Georgia Today reports. The court said that the punishment in Georgia does not fit the crime. It is also noted that individual users actually play a very small role in supporting the circulation of marijuana in the country.

Part of the ruling reads, “According to the applicants (Zurab Japaridze and Vakhtang Megrelishvili), the consumption of marijuana is not an act of social threat. In particular, it can only harm the users’ health, making that user him/herself responsible for the outcome. The responsibility for such actions does not cause dangerous consequences for the public. In addition, the Constitutional Court highlights the imposition of responsibility of marijuana consumption when it creates a threat to third parties. For instance, the Court will justify responsibility when marijuana is consumed in educational institutions, public places, such as on public transport, and in the presence of children.”

Japaridze is urging all Georgians to use marijuana responsibly. He is also urging residents to abide by all other smoking laws in the country.

Japaridze said, “I would like to congratulate everybody on the decision made by the Constitutional Court. Through this decision, Georgia became a freer country. Administrative punishment for consumption of marijuana was revoked by the Constitutional Court, which means that consumption of marijuana in Georgia is now legal.”

Georgia, a country sitting at the intersection of Europe and Asia, has ruled that smoking marijuana in the country is legal. The sale and cultivation will remain illegal. A Georgian court said the “permission to consume marijuana is an act of protection of the person’s right to free development.”

One of the main reasons for the ruling is that consuming marijuana does not put any third parties at risk, Georgia Today reports. The court said that the punishment in Georgia does not fit the crime. It is also noted that individual users actually play a very small role in supporting the circulation of marijuana in the country.

Part of the ruling reads, “According to the applicants (Zurab Japaridze and Vakhtang Megrelishvili), the consumption of marijuana is not an act of social threat. In particular, it can only harm the users’ health, making that user him/herself responsible for the outcome. The responsibility for such actions does not cause dangerous consequences for the public. In addition, the Constitutional Court highlights the imposition of responsibility of marijuana consumption when it creates a threat to third parties. For instance, the Court will justify responsibility when marijuana is consumed in educational institutions, public places, such as on public transport, and in the presence of children.”

Japaridze is urging all Georgians to use marijuana responsibly. He is also urging residents to abide by all other smoking laws in the country.

Japaridze said, “I would like to congratulate everybody on the decision made by the Constitutional Court. Through this decision, Georgia became a freer country. Administrative punishment for consumption of marijuana was revoked by the Constitutional Court, which means that consumption of marijuana in Georgia is now legal.”